Tired of watching your DEM frenemies & relatives crying over the election? Direct them to the “Don’t Cry” professionals for immediate and long-term help…
[After posting a tweet by Elie Mystal replying to a groveling white female ally: “Somebody who is in a better head space than me right now come do this person’s emotional labor because I CANNOT RIGHT NOW”]
There’s no such thing as “emotional labor.” Labor is labor. If you think emotions are labor, you’ve either never had a real job, or you belong to an organization in which expiating guilt to avoid excommunication really is work, like the Catholic Church or MSNBC. The attempt to expand the latter concept to all America hit a speed bump last week, and the faithful have no one left to punish. Early Scientology called their penance ritual “overboarding,” and the seas this weekend are thick with thrashing cancelers. It’s incredible:
That post has a paywall, but it continues in the same vein.
I’m beginning to wonder if Matt is ever ashamed of having been a reporter for The Rolling Stone, seeing what the “liberal” ecosphere has turned into.
It’s very clear that he is very exasperated with his erstwhile colleagues.
This is the kind of sh*t that makes me wary of Republicans (Trump included). I’m still watching their backdoor attempt to Federalize the Abortions issue, e.g., Moms Act, Bill – H.R.517, and Project 2025.
But current and former service members tell DailyMail.com that a shake-up at the top of the Pentagon totem pole is necessary.
Robert O’Neill, the former Navy SEAL who killed terrorist Osama bin Laden in 2011, told DailyMail.com that Hegseth is a ‘fantastic choice.’
And one main reason why is because he’s never been dragged into the D.C. political ‘swamp.’
‘He is a mid-level officer who has been to Afghanistan and Iraq on combat tours, worked with the National Guard in DC and played basketball at Princeton,’ said O’Neill.
‘He knows the soldiers and how a team works and really knows how to push himself. He is not part of the good-old-boy network and has never been part of the swamp.‘
Current U.S. Navy Commander Robert A. Green Jr. said he’s ‘excited for the fresh approach’ that Hegseth will bring to the position.
‘The Joint Force deserves a decision maker who will prioritize constitutional principles over contractor profits,’ he told DailyMail.com.
‘There is also a deep bench of recently retired conservative Admirals and Generals who are eager to support and advise. The future looks very bright for the US military under Pete Hegseth.’
An active duty fighter pilot said he’s most thrilled about Hegseth’s commitment to ‘shrinking the bureaucratic machine down to something much more manageable.’
The pilot says the ‘overwhelming and cumbersome bureaucracy’ makes his job difficult on a daily basis.
‘The Air Force and DoD at large has felt more like a DMV than a warfighting organization and that’s causing a lot of guys in the flying community to end up disillusioned and eager to get out,’ he told DailyMail.com.
He warned that he’s only cautiously optimistic because of Hegseth’s lack of government prowess.
‘I do wonder if he has the political savvy to navigate the labyrinth of the pentagon machine and tame it effectively,’ he continued.
Am seeing quite a bit of talk about an ‘American President should be able to have his own choice of his Cabinet’ – with most all agreeing that a President should not have to wait “2 years” to get his Cabinet & Admin filled. Honestly, I had never paid much attention to that process, and had no clue it could take months to 2 years!?! This isn’t 1893 when many things moved slow—including the mail & news. It’s 2024 heading into 2025 where A Powerful AI Breakthrough Is About to Transform the World and America doesn’t need to be waiting for a President to get his Cabinet filled…Jeez!?!?!
Here’s the report by CNN’s Culver:
Karmi, would you want to share a cell with one of these guys?
yes, the worse killers in the world, ought not to have nice accomodation, Bukele, has brought peace to El Salvador, that many thought impossible, let us be reminded that the place they wanted to jail trump for thought crime, is it’s one ‘blackhole of iniquity, same with Rikers Island, for the other offense,
thnakfully LA will be returning to some semblance of sanity after proposition 36, and the new Da Hochman, same with San Francisco and the Strauss heir,
Gascon really stuck in my craw, because is of my people, but he became just another Soros drone,
Brian E
Humans are natural born killers with or without tattoos.
They would be in *MY* cell the moment I entered it – whether it was Anthony (Tony) Esperti or some tattooed El Salva-whatever.
Not sure if your article mentioned that many cells down there had 80 or so inmates, and they were mixed gangs…gangs that killed each other on the street. I was never into gangs…
Anyway, voters didn’t give Trump a mandate to play or experiment with America’s prison system…hopefully Trump & Gaetz realize this w/o the voters having to remind them in 2 years…
they are trying to steal Bucks County, again, with bogus ballots, you may get your wish of Tren de Agua and MS-13 gangs running wild,
some vetting process, I’m sure if they flew Gasden flags, they would get attention,
I recently read an interview by Christopher Rufo with an (anonymous) mid-level Boeing manager. The new CEO is focused on building airplanes and on doing it with quality. His first question for any program or policy is, “Does this help us build airplanes?” Much of what Boeing has been doing in recent years has not helped build quality airplanes.
That analogous question, for Pete Hegseth, will be, “Does this help us win wars?” He sounds like just the guy to return Defense to its core job, which is to win wars.
Reports have 85 yr old Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei fallen into coma. Soon may the earth be rid of him — and his evil regime.
of course if you wanted to dismantle american aviation, that would be exactly what you would do,
there’s a reason why Brennan couldn’t even grift properly in a target rich environment,
its been crickets about effendi rehman have you noticed,
Interesting point.
Charlie Kirk tweet:
For the Trump coalition, the President is pitching a perfect game.
MAHA gets RFK at HHS
Libertarians get Tulsi as DNI
The Base gets Gaetz, Hetseth and Homan
The peace through projecting strength crowd gets Rubio at State and Stefanick at the UN.
Promises made, promises kept.
David Sachs at All in Podcast makes the point it’s a package deal given the coalition that elected him. Trump is trying to have his cabinet reflect the diversity of his coalition. Sachs adds Elon and Vivek to the Libertarian camp and interprets the “peace through projecting strength” as the neocons.
By the way, the separated twins are adorable! What personalities!
They’re absolutely charming.
“Interesting point” indeed, Brian E!
Here’s another – Mom-of-five’s clever strategy – ‘Ashley Hayek mastered the dark art of tracking down ‘low propensity’ voters’…
…Ashley Hayek, the executive director of America First Works (AFW), a pro-Trump non-profit, who accuses the ‘establishment media’ of ‘gaslighting’ voters with talk of a tight race.
***
Hayek, 40, is now viewed as a likely hire for the incoming Trump administration.
Yeah, I had read earlier about Lara Trump pushing the ‘low propensity’ voters strategy…she did an excellent job!
UPDATE:
She credits a dedicated ‘team of 20 Arab American canvassers’ for helping to flip Dearborn, Michigan, to Trump, where pro-Palestinian voters were angry over the Biden administration’s support for Israel.
Lots of work done by America First Works (AFW)…
if you think they ever had a clue, let me disabuse of that,
It is a magnificent piece of gear, only $750. On YouTube channels it’s mentioned as the best electric guitar under $1000.
There’s a lot of inside guitar baseball on Paul Reed Smith guitars. The DGT SE appears to be a breakthrough for PRS.
FWIW I’m happy. My first guitar was only one level up from the basement. If I found I had the love and commitment for guitar, I knew I would buy more upscale. I did so sooner than I expected.
It’s not that I think a more expensive guitar will make me play better. I know it won’t. But if it makes me love the guitar more to stay motivated, it’s worth it.
Which gets me to the larger existential question. Most participants here are older. I don’t want to beat a drum about being senior. I mostly don’t think about it — beyond I am more keenly aware that I am not due a limitless number of trips around our sun.
So what does one do, how does one prioritize in such circumstances, what trade-offs does one make?
I bought a great electric guitar for $750. What did you do?
Huxley,I’ve been waiting for your report on the guitar. Thanks!
I understand your priorities question. Do I need another guitar besides my Strat? No. But I wonder if having a LesPaul style with the humbucker pickups would really sound that different. I know a lot of songs I play used that type of guitar vs the Strat.
Decisions… 🙂
Apparently, Pete Hegseths has never worked in the Pentagon. That may be a good thing.
Back in the day, (1955 -1975 – my service era) it was known as the “Puzzle Palace,” and all those who were operators tried to avoid orders to the place. I knew a few officers who had served there. Most had become bureaucratic in their outlook. Instead of solving operational problems their mind set was to first question how the problem would be seen by the Puzzle Palace. Next, it was to question how a solution might affect their careers. 🙁
I had two rather memorable encounters with bureaucrats from the Pentagon. Telling about them would be a long story. Suffice it to say, that I found them to be discouraging, disguising, and at cross purposes with winning the Vietnam War.
I don’t think any SECDEF since McNamara has actually been able to effect much change. It’s a huge job. Managing five services that are competing for funds and prestige as well as choosing the companies that will manufacture all the arms required is very demanding. With a budget of $816 billion to manage, and pressures from all sides to spend the money on this or that weaponry or military service, Hegseth will have his hands full.
I do think he can change the culture back to a meritocracy that concentrates on winning wars, but even that won’t be easy. I wish him well.
rumsfeld did try, in part based on his experience as chief of staff his chairmanship of GD Searle, and previous Defense Department experience, but events got in the way,
he was coming off the Clinton cuts in the 90s, the remainde force was focused on large land conflicts,not
the grittyness of close quarter urban conflict,
Shinseki, the artilleryman who was Chief of Staff, was still focused on this paradigm, thats why he brought in someone from the Operator Community in Shoomaker, to mixed results,
of course in the last four years, they have focused on every wrong strategy
as well insufficient ground forces, thats a recipe for catastrophe against a major hegemon like China,
I look forward to any unconventional figures like Elbridge Colby, grandson of the spymaster as his underlings,
Abortions, as all homicides, are regulated under state statutory laws. Some are justifiable, some are Her Choice, and others are criminal. The challenge to law enforcement is that like most homicides, demos-cracy is aborted in darkness. Under statutory laws in all 50 states, abortion past six weeks is criminal affirmative action, with the exception of self-defense through reconciliation.
Furthermore, with Democratic legalization of queer sexual orientations (e.g. pedophilia, incest) under the principle of political congruence (“=”), [catastrophic] [anthropogenic] immigration reform (e.g. illegal aliens), etc forcing excess rapes… uh, rape-rapes, there is advocacy to normalize the performance of human rites, the wicked solution, for social, clinical, criminal, political, and climate progress.
Keep women affordable, available, reusable, and taxable, and the “burden” of evidence aborted and her carbon sequestered in sanctuary states?
physicsguy:
The first guitar I mentioned was an Epiphone Les Paul for $270 on Amazon. It’s a fine beginner guitar and I could have stayed on it for another six months to a year.
I now watch a lot of guitar YouTubes and I caught wind of this latest PRS version of the classic 1959 Les Paul, only somewhat more evolved — it has a tremolo, a split-coil option (somewhat like a Strat) and a revised set of controls.
While it was being painstakingly developed, it was compared at every revision with a legit 1959 Les Paul — those now cost hundreds of thousand dollars on the vintage market.
The YouTube reviews are astonishingly positive, saying the DGT SE is comparable to higher-end guitars costing several thousand dollars. I’m now excited about guitars, I’m kind of a Les Paul guy, so I jumped.
I think PRS is doing cutting-edge work on electric guitar. If you are curious about adding a Les Paul-style guitar to your repertoire, the DGT SE is definitely worth your consideration.
Here’s an excellent review of the DGT-SE by a great session pro:
huxley,
I used to jam with a late buddy who was a gear-head (as maybe a lot of guitarists are). He was partial to the Gibson ES-335 semi-solid body; I think he had a 12-string at one time. Larry Carlton used an ES-335. I noticed recently that one of the worship leaders at my church appeared to be playing one.
I read an interview with Paul McCartney and he was asked what kind of gear he used. He said something like “I don’t know, I don’t care, I just use whatever I have.”
I used to jam with a late buddy who was a gear-head (as maybe a lot of guitarists are).
Dax:
That’s a weird, delightful aspect I discovered about the electric guitar world. These guys are gearheads. There are exceptions, of course, but electric guitar is almost entirely guyville and the gearhead thing is part of it. You just don’t have to wash your hands with Lava after modifying a guitar.
I’m not surprised that Jeff Beck, who surely sits next to Jimi Hendrix in the pantheon, built over thirty automobiles — by hand.
Oh man, I just tried the tremolo* on my PRS and almost collapsed with laughter. That was me making that WHAH-OOO-WHAH sound. 🙂
I’m a gearhead too.
_______________________
*Yes, tremolo is the wrong word. It’s really vibrato. Blame it on Fender Guitar.
I read an interview with Paul McCartney and he was asked what kind of gear he used. He said something like “I don’t know, I don’t care, I just use whatever I have.”
Dax:
I believe it. The Beatles didn’t fixate on gear. They didn’t even fixate that much on instruments. George and John might play bass. Paul might play guitar. All four, even Ringo, could play piano.
They weren’t trying to be virtuosos draining the last special bit from an instrument. They were damn good, of course, but they were thinking on a different level.
five watt world is a wonderful rabbit hole of guitar lore. Here’s fww’s take on McCartney’s guitars:
huxley: My new guitar, a PRS DGT SE, arrived today. I find myself totally smitten with it. It looks so beautiful and plays so smoothly. Is there something wrong with me?
ChatGPT: There’s absolutely nothing wrong with you! Falling in love with a new guitar, especially one as well-crafted as a PRS DGT SE, is a perfectly natural response. It shows you’re connecting with the instrument and appreciating its aesthetics and playability. This excitement and inspiration can fuel your passion for playing and creativity. Enjoy the honeymoon phase—it’s part of the joy of being a guitarist!
_______________________________________
Well, good night, all, and good night, Birdie, my new guitar.
It’s been a good day.
Good player on a bad instrument beats a not-as-good player on a good instrument Every. Single. Time.
We need to get Ukraine into NATO *YESTERDAY* – but for some reason the Republican party has a strong Vietnam era pro-Russia anti-war wing!?!?! The MAGA REP pro-Russia anti-war wing supposedly supports Israel against Iran, but they also support Russia against Ukraine!?!?! Russia and Iran are strong allies—like peas in a pod with none other than North Korea…Ditto on the !?!?!
Kyiv’s drone suppliers are ramping up production of computer-guided drones that are cheap and can’t be electronically jammed
In a front-line dugout this spring, a Ukrainian drone navigator selected a target—a Russian ammunition truck—by tapping it on a tablet screen with a stylus. The pilot flicked a switch on his handset to select autopilot and then watched the drone swoop down from a few hundred yards away and hit the vehicle.
Geez…a tablet ‘n tap of a stylus – then hit auto pilot equals BOOM for another enemy vehicle.
Strikes like this represent a big advance in Ukraine’s attempts to use computers to help it combat Russia’s huge army. The drone that carried it out was controlled in the final attack phase by a small onboard computer designed by the U.S.-based company Auterion. Several other companies, many of them Ukrainian, have successfully tested similar autopilot systems on the battlefield.
Nothing new—says Auterion Lorenz Meier…just “The difference is the price.”
Ukraine, with a population one-quarter the size of Russia’s, is reliant on maintaining a technological edge to hold off waves of Russian tanks and infantry. The use of computer-controlled drones is particularly promising as it significantly reduces the number of people needed to carry out tasks from identifying targets to striking them. They also offer a cheap alternative to more expensive missiles and artillery shells that could help Ukraine maintain its defense if the new Trump administration cuts funding.
Hopefully President-elect Trump doesn’t end up letting Russia have Ukraine…
(NOTE: I used Epic browser to get behind paywall…)
Good player on a bad instrument beats a not-as-good player on a good instrument Every. Single. Time.
FOAF:
No doubt. I hope you don’t think I’m falling for that fallacy.
Ordinarily, as a beginner and a frugal guy, I wouldn’t have jumped several levels up to a prosumer guitar.
However, I’m 72, I’ve got my retirement squared away, I find I love guitar, and $750 for an excellent guitar is not outrageous.
At my age I find there are not many things I can buy which make me happy. So, why not?
Which is my larger question for this forum. My impression is that most people here are reasonably prudent and successful. Sure, you don’t want to die broke and leave nothing behind. What’s on your bucket list? What might you do now with your time and money? How do you decide?
Huxley,
You’ve corrupted me…I see the local Guitar Center is a PRS dealer and I’ve already browsed their inventory.
I’m also 72 and playing guitar for an hour a day is something I really look forward to. $750 for a new “toy”? Yeah, I could do that. My other big toy would be to completely update my flightsim. Still using FS2004 because I’m a member of a classic airliner group and I have many such classic airliners that are fun and that are not available in the newer sims. (Simviation.com/HJG). However, MSFS2024 is calling me. Would require new computer and hardware (yoke, throttles, pedals)…around a minimum $2k. But hey, I don’t have that much time left, so why not?
Karmi, it’s still too early to get into the weeds on what should happen in Ukraine. I’ll just say that positions are already changing about the resolution.
Zelensky is softening his position. Elections in Ukraine are in the works.
Should Scholz calling Putin be considered significant? It’s reported he suggested Putin remove his troops and begin talking to Zelensky. It took him an hour to say that?
During the runup to the November election—it became obvious (to me anyway) that pretty much all American news – from both the Left (MSM) & Right (RWM) were partisan, conflicting, deceptive, confusing, outright lies, and/or “Fake news” at best.
IMHO, Niketas Choniates is as ‘Sharp as a Tack’ but it looks like his “source” was a mistake.
People in this rapidly moving modern world need to double-check “sources” from everyone and everywhere, IMHO.
Brian E – if my “source” isn’t listed in my comment, then please don’t ask me for one—just do your own research first. Niketas ‘Sharp as a Tack’ Choniates – forget my question at Open Thread 11/16 November 16, 2024 at 10:08 pm. 😉
Brian E
Karmi, it’s still too early to get into the weeds on what should happen in Ukraine.
No it’s not Brian E! Russia needs to get out of all Ukrainian territory. Trump best not blow this one.
Ukraine & Zelensky have major input. If they want to give up some land for immediate entry into NATO & the EU, then fine by me…their decision.
Russia is the Rapist here, and don’t deserve much if any input — especially not any of that pro-Russia Baloney that you constantly float around here. BTW, have been meaning to ask you — are you for Iran or Israel?
Karmi, the great blessing God pronounced upon Abram in Genesis 12.
“I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”
That’s my position on Israel.
”…it’s still too early to get into the weeds on what should happen in Ukraine.”
Sheesh! It’s been **10 years** since Russia invaded Ukraine. And 16 years since Russia invaded Georgia and 32 years since Russia invaded Moldova. How much time do you need to denounce rape, kidnapping, murder, conquest, genocide, and mass destruction?
What should happen in Ukraine is that Russia should leave Ukraine in its entirety and pay restitution to it. That’s what international law requires and is the only just and moral outcome at this point.
Brian E – 🙂 am sure the God of Abrahamic Religions said something similar to Muhammad.
Poor answer BTW. Am left to believe that you can somehow separate countries in the Axis of Evil—North Korea, Iran and/or Russia, and be friends with one or more. Man, how things have changed since WW II!?
Karmi, the Arab’s lineage is believed to trace back to Ishmael. God did not bestow that blessing on Ishmael, though he mother was promised, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.”
The blessing of Abram was continued through the covenant God made with Isaac.
Its not like trump brokered a deal with kim dynast not that long ago
Bush labeled Iran, Iraq and North Korea the “Axis of Evil”.
in retreospect, the axis was not seriously impaired
by W’s policies and thats being charitable, certainly iran got a foothold in Iraq through General Suleimani, as for North Korea what was held back
And in a nick of time, too!!
(I guess if they get a bit overwrought by being at sea for too long they can always dock at Havana—actually, report has it that the Bee was going to run this but it was just a tad too…weird…for ‘em.)
File under: Ship of Ghouls…
Brian E
Karmi, it seems like yesterday.
Bush’s State of the Union address on January 29, 2002 – almost 23 years ago. Doesn’t seem like yesterday to humble hermit me. 🙂
Bush got bashed for using the “Axis of Evil” – Frum interprets Roosevelt’s oratory like this:
“For FDR, Pearl Harbor was not only an attack—it was a warning of future and worse attacks from another, even more dangerous enemy.” Japan, a country with one-tenth of America’s industrial capacity, a dependence on imports for its food, and already engaged in a war with China, was extremely reckless to attack the United States, a recklessness “that made the Axis such a menace to world peace“, Frum says. Saddam Hussein’s two wars, against Iran and Kuwait, were just as reckless, Frum decided, and therefore presented the same threat to world peace.
Axis Powers – ‘Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy and the Empire of Japan.’
December 7, 1941 – almost 83 years ago, America entered World War II – against the Axis Powers.
Today, this new Axis of Evil—Russia, Iran and North Korea are out to destroy Ukraine and Israel. In the near future people are going to have to choose between Ukraine + Israel AGAINST Russia + Iran + North Korea – bouncing back ‘n forth like a patient in padded room isn’t gonna fly…
”Today, this new Axis of Evil—Russia, Iran and North Korea…”
China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran.
China as well as Russia is assisting North Korea with its ICBM program: A recent North Korean ICBM test launch received in-flight assistance from both Russia and China. China is also supplying Russia with thousands of drones to use in Ukraine as well as dual-use items such as the golf carts and motorcycles that Russia is using in its infantry charges. And it’s supplying Russia with Western technological items to use in its weapons production in violation of Western sanctions.
China is somewhat more reserved in its public support because, unlike the other members of the axis, it needs the West, but it is still a solid member.
Re: PRS
physicsguy:
Hope you update on a new guitar, however you go.
Since you’re a Strat guy, you might enjoy this creative, amusing video by a guitar guy on the PRS version of a Strat, the Silver Sky SE, which came out of a collaboration between PRS and star Strat player John Mayer.
He frames it with a noirish haunted guitar skit and syncing to the “Footloose” theme, but he knows his stuff and he can really play, demoing the Silver Sky features.
Yes, and good point/s. Still, I am cutting China some slack for now, and won’t be listing them in the Axis of Evil—those actually seeking the destruction of Ukraine & Israel.
Seems that I have read that Ukraine is also or was getting drones & such parts from China, but it has been awhile since seeing it – so no link.
China is a serious threat, but I don’t believe they are ready to tackle India, and like you said – “China is somewhat more reserved in its public support..”
Ukraine is killing massive amounts of Russians, and huge amounts of armored vehicles—keeping the once “mighty” Russian military using infantry assault tactics. America needs an ally like Ukraine—great ones like Ukraine don’t come around very often…
”I am cutting China some slack for now, and won’t be listing them in the Axis of Evil—those actually seeking the destruction of Ukraine & Israel.”
Understood. But China is seeking the conquest and subjugation of Taiwan, so it gets membership in the axis, in my — and many other people’s — opinion. It is by far the most powerful member of the axis, and word in military and intelligence circles is that they’ve penciled in 2027 to act on that. Their current military buildup is reportedly in anticipation of that date.
That’s what our Russophile colleagues here don’t understand. Both the Ukraine and the Israeli wars are part of a larger war by the new Axis of Evil against Western Civilization. They are all working together to destroy it.
@Karmi: Sorry about the wrong link. Corrected in the original thread, and repeated here:
Good catch, thanks, and sorry for the mistake. US Senate Rule XX “Questions of Order” is here.
The mechanism is:
1) A Senator raises a point of order, contradicting the Senate rule he wishes to set aside. (Can be any rule whatever.)
2) The chair overrules the point of order.
3) The Senator appeals the decision of the chair to the Senate, which overrules the chair by simple majority vote, as happened in the following example from 2013:
Mr. REID I raise a point of order that the vote on cloture under rule XXII for all nominations other than for the Supreme Court of the United States is by majority vote. The PRESIDENT pro tempore Under the rules, the point of order is not sustained. Mr. REID I appeal the ruling of the Chair and ask for the yeas and nays.
(48–52 vote on sustaining the decision of the chair) The PRESIDENT pro tempore The decision of the Chair is not sustained. The PRESIDENT pro tempore Under the precedent set by the Senate today, November 21, 2013, the threshold for cloture on nominations, not including those to the Supreme Court of the United States, is now a majority. That is the ruling of the Chair.
tl; dr the Senate has a rule that lets them ignore any rule, including the 60-vote filibuster rule, by simple majority vote. (That’s Rule XX, “Questions of order”.)
It follows then that the Senate can pass anything by simple majority vote, but they and the media find it advantageous to pretend otherwise.
mkent
It is by far the most powerful member of the axis, and word in military and intelligence circles is that they’ve penciled in 2027 to act on that.
Agreed.
“2027” – Trump best start helping Ukraine toss Russia out of there. America could use Ukraine & Israel’s help sooner than later. “2027” – Trump best be on his toes for that one.
Am probably wrong, but China’s vast navy hasn’t had any—or much combat experience. They could be in for a major surprise (like Russia) when they try to invade Taiwan. Same for their Air Force—to a degree, IMHO. Heck, the once mighty Russian Air Force can’t even gain air superiority over Ukraine.
Then there’s India…yeah, I’ll hold off of adding China to my Axis of Evil—for now 😉
Niketas ‘Sharp as a Tack’ Choniates
Thanks for the updated info!
“…the new Axis of Evil against Western Civilization….”
One has to be careful here.
This because very significant elements WITHIN the West are NOW themselves ARRAYED AGAINST “Western Civilization”.
How else to explain Obama and “Biden” and their determined, if deluded, minions?
How else to explain Trudeau?
How else to explain Starmer? (And, in fact, the extreme Left governments of, essentially, the rest of the Anglosphere?)
How else to explain Spain’s Leftist leadership?
OR…that of all too many of the EU’s member states?
HOW ELSE TO EXPLAIN THE WEF and its nefarious sympathizers (AKA co-scoundrels) in positions of power in the West, along with the destructive Western mega-rich donors who make it their business to support IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE the DEMOLITION and great unraveling of Western countries and their institutions, their monuments and their histories?
What it means is that one MUST understand…
– the cozying up of Obama/“Biden” to Iran
– the “greater flexibility” guaranteed by Obama to Medvedev
– Biden’s support of corruption in the Ukraine and his—related—granting Putin the right, later “walked back”, to annex Ukraine’s two eastern provinces
– the bizarrely supportive relationship that Obama/“Biden” established with Communist China
– the powers purportedly to be granted by “Biden” to the UN and to the WHO
– the support given by Obama/“Biden” to the Palestinians (both the PA AND Hamas) together with the exasperatingly ambiguous relationship it has assiduously “cultivated” with Israel
— turning a blind eye to threats to the West while persecuting those who dare try to save it…
What this entails—in spite of “Biden”-ese rhetoric meant to conceal and obfuscate “his” destructive policies—is a TOTAL GLOBAL REALIGNMENT in favor of one world government—or at least several larger in-sync global blocs—to the detriment of nationalism and national entities.
IOW, the elites in the West, including “Biden”, are aiming to reduce and weaken the West, making it, they hope, more like the Communist China so highly regarded by Klaus Schwab and his intellectually/morally bankrupt orcs, in order to “save the planet and all its (not-just-human) inhabitants.
For these uber-“geniuses”, the US and Israel (and now Milei’s Argentina, along with some of the former Soviet-bloc countries—though all these latter are relatively minor issues) stand in the way of their vast, ambitious, evil—though disguised as salvationist—scheme and must be dealt with accordingly.
Alas, for THEM, Trump—God bless him and preserve him—has once again thrown a spammer into the maw of their devious plan.
And so…”the West”?
Not so fast.
It is under vicious assault from within and is in grave danger.
One must refer to it accordingly—as it truly is NOW, not as it once was—hoping that Trump and the courage and hard work of those who elected him can get America back on a even keel, and with that accomplished, help the West to recover what has made it great.
This fight is essentially a global war.
Let’s keep China an adversary not an enemy.
War is now about markets not ideology and China is winning the war.
One fact to keep in mind. China’s steel production in 2023 was over 1 billion metric tons. India is second with 140 million tons, Japan third with 87 million tons, the US is fourth with 80 million tons and Russia fifth with 76 million tons.
China produces 54% of the worlds production (and an inferior grade at that). Of that 1 billion tons, less than 10% is exported, so you can get an idea of the industrial production of China.
Let’s go to war with China.
”Let’s keep China an adversary not an enemy.”
We don’t get to decide that. China, like Russia, Iran, and North Korea, has already made that decision.
”Let’s go to war with China.”
We won’t get to decide that either. China will go to war with us when it decides it is ready.
Communist China is as saturated with lies as is the Democratic Party and is as economically dysfunctional.
Perhaps even more so.
…Which makes prognostications about China similar to Democratic-Party-friendly election polls.
(IOW, a. it’s unlikely that anyone really knows what’s going on there; and b. it’s likely that things are worse—far worse?—than is suggested / reported / deduced.
So how does one keep Chinese aspirations in check?
Two options(?)
– Classical “STICK”: Maintain—AND SUSTAIN—a viable and convincing / persuasive adversarial stance backed by the threat of powerful “disincentives” for them against doing anything rash, illegal or imprudent.
– Classical “CARROT”: Allow them to gain (and grab) whatever (or most of what) they want, the rationale being that if you demonstrate that you’re NOT adversarial then they’ll agree to work within a legal (more or less), acceptable framework to achieve their goals (and if YOU and yer pals can rake in big bucks on the side then so much the better).
With a third option(?) being a combination—or some sort of realistic, judicious combination—of the first two.
A problem—THE PROBLEM—with these “options” is that the first is difficult to sustain without the necessary willpower and money, while the second can NEVER be realistic simply because countries such as Communist China…or Russia…or Iran (or, for that matter, political parties/organizations such as the Democratic Party, in its current “incarnation”) simply don’t operate that way. That is, if they can they take what they want, however they’re allowed to get away with it—under the smokescreen of “cooperation” or their insistence on their “sovereign rights” (or whatever legal or human rights du jour, or popular rationales such as “justice” or “resistance”) then THEY WILL take it, or at least try to.
IOW, there is no “reciprocity” on their part when it comes to real politik—and no respect for limits—unless they believe they are forced to make a gesture (or concession) for reasons of “optics”, or in other words, to DECEIVE.
Real problems are created, however, when a political party such as the Obama-/“Biden”-led Democrats, under the guise of trying to reach a modus vivendi with e.g., China (or Iran…or Russia); that is, under the guise of forging regional or world “peace”, or greater “stability”, or greater “welfare”, or ratcheting down mutual distrust or animus or adversity for (OF COURSE) the greater good of humanity, etc., ACTUALLY end up (intentionally AND, by design, SURREPTITIOUSLY) selling the farm, as it were to those self-same adversaries.
In short: WEAKENING their own country and its citizens (though not its elites nor themselves) in the—ENLIGHTENED!!!, as they would define it—interest of supporting and strengthening the high-sounding if rather amorphous “global community”…which is the ENTIRE platform of the Democratic Party, in BOTH FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC affairs…as well as making personal financial gains in the process of pursuing such an ENLIGHTENED policy(!!) AND providing themselves with a JUSTIFIABLE MORAL AND ETHICAL excuse to accrue (i.e., grab) political power…along with developing the psychotic rationale that anything that PREVENTS THEM from accruing/grabbing total power (so as to enable them to foist their OH-SO-ENLIGHTENED policies on the nation) MUST BE illegal, immoral, unethical…and, of course, “A DANGER TO OUR DEMOCRACY”.
To get back to relations with China (or Russia, or Iran), what is the place of concepts such as “ADVERSARY” or “ENEMY” given the type or Orwellian re-ordering (or redefining, or “transformation”) described above?…that is, when one’s REAL enemy (as is the case for the Democratic Party) is its political opponents: those politicians and countrymen who REFUSE to agree with—AND WISH TO STYMIE—your political aspirations (for total power), which you INSIST is your RIGHT and MANIFEST DESTINY??
Barry Meislin
..along with some of the former Soviet-bloc countries—though all these latter are relatively minor issues..
Barely a peep about Great Britain – as great of an ally as Israel.
Biden’s support of corruption in the Ukraine..
And Trump’s interaction with Ukraine in an attempt to force a foreign sovereign country to help Trump use lawfare against Biden – when instead Trump should’ve been confronting Russia about their invasion of Crimea and their support of rebels/terrorists in eastern Ukraine.
Yes, the West is in a mess.
Yes, America’s enemies within—‘Domestic Enemies’ are a serious threat, as they have been since before the McCarthyism ‘during the late 1940s through the 1950s.‘
Barely a peep about Russia and Putin – apparently considered no longer a threat or enemy of America by many MAGA REPs…Geez!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
Seems we’re having some time-line (and no doubt other) “issues”…
Need to stay on House & Senate plus own Congresspeople – they need to be reminded OFTEN that the voters MANDATE included giving Trump HIS cabinet without delay!!!
President-elect Donald Trump is putting together “the most reform-oriented Cabinet” in the “lifetime” of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who expects leftist and even some establishment efforts to “destroy” Trump’s pick for defense secretary — Pete Hegseth.
“I’m watching President Trump create the most reform-oriented Cabinet in my lifetime” …
***
Gingrich said Thune is a “good guy” who “bridges everybody” and Johnson has the “hardest job in Washington today”…
Et tu, Sarah – ‘Sarah Palin is the Mother of MAGA’ – seems to complain about not getting a Cabinet spot…?!
Yes, someone should note this, she was a subject of lawfare of character assasination of threats to her person and her family, her church which was burned down nearly 16 years ago
I don’t say that Putin is not indifferent to taking advantage of our clown show that has been running for four years, starting with the bribes from Gazprom to shut down our pipelines, very convenient,
in the Kabul capitulations, he probably saw echoes of the Soviets own folly, this is why he foolishly commissioned General Gerasimov to come up with that stupid war plan, which ignored history, weather patterns and what not, Frunze should revoke his diploma
for being this cavalier, with the lives of many including his nephew
but i’ve spelled out, who have been ‘enemies of the people’ like the Raskin clan for two generations, the Obamas, Leon Panetta, John Lurch Kerry, et al, and they are all in on this Caucasus adventure,
On the pop culture front Yellowstone returned with a twist on the who shot JR template keyed to 2024, Lioness brought a scenario, torn from the headlines, about skulduggery on the border, and a new series Landman, which takes a look at the oil industry, roughly a modern Dallas with aspects of Friday Night lights
the Trudeaus were worshipers of Mao and Castro and whichever apparatchik the Soviets had, the toadlike Brezhnev, in fact the one who seems to be in charge is miss Freedland nee Chemezov who got her big break at the Financial Times, its seems misanthropy is rampant over there, see petulant imperial scion Edward Luce, a character you couldn’t invent, I haven’t seen what temper tantrum he has conjured up since the shellacking
something about trump’s retribution which seems entertaining
Starmer is a terrifying character, and he has removed all doubt since the election, where he has done his best Ministry of Love and Truth ballets,
Trudeau Sr., whatever his foibles, shortcomings and mistakes—and his desire to forge a Canadian foreign policy independent of the US—was a Canadian patriot.
Junior wants to take the country apart.
– – – – – – – –
“…Caucasus adventure…”
Is that the correct region?
(Do you mean “Georgian” or could it be “Carpathian”?)
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Tired of watching your DEM frenemies & relatives crying over the election? Direct them to the “Don’t Cry” professionals for immediate and long-term help…
We Understand your Pain
More help offered at newzy.com
Megyn gives a fairly complete postmortem of the the Harris campaign failure:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZHCgAE4POY
Well, maybe not dead, but on life support — I fully expect the Leftists crying over the election to continue as Zombie LIVs.
https://www.racket.news/p/ding-dong-the-cult-is-dead
Ding, Dong, the Cult is Dead!
The national mass psychosis is finally dealt a blow, making it safe to be sane again
Matt Taibbi Nov 10, 2024
[After posting a tweet by Elie Mystal replying to a groveling white female ally: “Somebody who is in a better head space than me right now come do this person’s emotional labor because I CANNOT RIGHT NOW”]
That post has a paywall, but it continues in the same vein.
I’m beginning to wonder if Matt is ever ashamed of having been a reporter for The Rolling Stone, seeing what the “liberal” ecosphere has turned into.
It’s very clear that he is very exasperated with his erstwhile colleagues.
Interesting articles on 2 of Trumps picks:
1) Matt Gaetz would oversee US prisons as AG. He thinks El Salvador’s hardline lockups are a model – looks like Gaetz was impressed by the treatment of prisoners in El Salvador’s prisons. Maybe Gaetz would already think American Prisons are tough enough if he gets convicted of Statutory Rape of that 17 year old woman.
This is the kind of sh*t that makes me wary of Republicans (Trump included). I’m still watching their backdoor attempt to Federalize the Abortions issue, e.g., Moms Act, Bill – H.R.517, and Project 2025.
Republicans don’t need to be wasting time on changing the prison system & Federalizing the Abortion issue. Voters did not give Trump a mandate for that kind of BS.
2) OK – this one lets humble hermit me relax again 🙂 – Navy SEAL who killed Osama bin Laden has a message for critics of Trump’s Defense Secretary pick Pete Hegseth
Am seeing quite a bit of talk about an ‘American President should be able to have his own choice of his Cabinet’ – with most all agreeing that a President should not have to wait “2 years” to get his Cabinet & Admin filled. Honestly, I had never paid much attention to that process, and had no clue it could take months to 2 years!?! This isn’t 1893 when many things moved slow—including the mail & news. It’s 2024 heading into 2025 where A Powerful AI Breakthrough Is About to Transform the World and America doesn’t need to be waiting for a President to get his Cabinet filled…Jeez!?!?!
Here’s the report by CNN’s Culver:
Karmi, would you want to share a cell with one of these guys?
‘Worst of the worst’: Go inside El Salvador’s fortress prison for gang members
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-Oz14D5sz0
yes, the worse killers in the world, ought not to have nice accomodation, Bukele, has brought peace to El Salvador, that many thought impossible, let us be reminded that the place they wanted to jail trump for thought crime, is it’s one ‘blackhole of iniquity, same with Rikers Island, for the other offense,
thnakfully LA will be returning to some semblance of sanity after proposition 36, and the new Da Hochman, same with San Francisco and the Strauss heir,
Gascon really stuck in my craw, because is of my people, but he became just another Soros drone,
Brian E
Humans are natural born killers with or without tattoos.
They would be in *MY* cell the moment I entered it – whether it was Anthony (Tony) Esperti or some tattooed El Salva-whatever.
Not sure if your article mentioned that many cells down there had 80 or so inmates, and they were mixed gangs…gangs that killed each other on the street. I was never into gangs…
Anyway, voters didn’t give Trump a mandate to play or experiment with America’s prison system…hopefully Trump & Gaetz realize this w/o the voters having to remind them in 2 years…
they are trying to steal Bucks County, again, with bogus ballots, you may get your wish of Tren de Agua and MS-13 gangs running wild,
https://x.com/susancrabtree/status/1857852305959432294
some vetting process, I’m sure if they flew Gasden flags, they would get attention,
I recently read an interview by Christopher Rufo with an (anonymous) mid-level Boeing manager. The new CEO is focused on building airplanes and on doing it with quality. His first question for any program or policy is, “Does this help us build airplanes?” Much of what Boeing has been doing in recent years has not helped build quality airplanes.
That analogous question, for Pete Hegseth, will be, “Does this help us win wars?” He sounds like just the guy to return Defense to its core job, which is to win wars.
Reports have 85 yr old Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei fallen into coma. Soon may the earth be rid of him — and his evil regime.
of course if you wanted to dismantle american aviation, that would be exactly what you would do,
https://x.com/AcrossTheBay/status/1857828179135656318
there’s a reason why Brennan couldn’t even grift properly in a target rich environment,
its been crickets about effendi rehman have you noticed,
Interesting point.
Charlie Kirk tweet:
David Sachs at All in Podcast makes the point it’s a package deal given the coalition that elected him. Trump is trying to have his cabinet reflect the diversity of his coalition. Sachs adds Elon and Vivek to the Libertarian camp and interprets the “peace through projecting strength” as the neocons.
By the way, the separated twins are adorable! What personalities!
They’re absolutely charming.
“Interesting point” indeed, Brian E!
Here’s another – Mom-of-five’s clever strategy – ‘Ashley Hayek mastered the dark art of tracking down ‘low propensity’ voters’…
Yeah, I had read earlier about Lara Trump pushing the ‘low propensity’ voters strategy…she did an excellent job!
UPDATE:
Lots of work done by America First Works (AFW)…
if you think they ever had a clue, let me disabuse of that,
https://x.com/johnkonrad/status/1857597631121199248
yes the twins are adorable,
Re: RPS DGT SE — Paul Reed Smith, David Grissom Tremolo model, Student Edition
I babbled about this guitar a week ago. Then I ordered it and today it arrived.
https://prsguitars.com/electrics/model/se_dgt_2025
It is a magnificent piece of gear, only $750. On YouTube channels it’s mentioned as the best electric guitar under $1000.
There’s a lot of inside guitar baseball on Paul Reed Smith guitars. The DGT SE appears to be a breakthrough for PRS.
FWIW I’m happy. My first guitar was only one level up from the basement. If I found I had the love and commitment for guitar, I knew I would buy more upscale. I did so sooner than I expected.
It’s not that I think a more expensive guitar will make me play better. I know it won’t. But if it makes me love the guitar more to stay motivated, it’s worth it.
Which gets me to the larger existential question. Most participants here are older. I don’t want to beat a drum about being senior. I mostly don’t think about it — beyond I am more keenly aware that I am not due a limitless number of trips around our sun.
So what does one do, how does one prioritize in such circumstances, what trade-offs does one make?
I bought a great electric guitar for $750. What did you do?
Huxley,I’ve been waiting for your report on the guitar. Thanks!
I understand your priorities question. Do I need another guitar besides my Strat? No. But I wonder if having a LesPaul style with the humbucker pickups would really sound that different. I know a lot of songs I play used that type of guitar vs the Strat.
Decisions… 🙂
Apparently, Pete Hegseths has never worked in the Pentagon. That may be a good thing.
Back in the day, (1955 -1975 – my service era) it was known as the “Puzzle Palace,” and all those who were operators tried to avoid orders to the place. I knew a few officers who had served there. Most had become bureaucratic in their outlook. Instead of solving operational problems their mind set was to first question how the problem would be seen by the Puzzle Palace. Next, it was to question how a solution might affect their careers. 🙁
I had two rather memorable encounters with bureaucrats from the Pentagon. Telling about them would be a long story. Suffice it to say, that I found them to be discouraging, disguising, and at cross purposes with winning the Vietnam War.
I don’t think any SECDEF since McNamara has actually been able to effect much change. It’s a huge job. Managing five services that are competing for funds and prestige as well as choosing the companies that will manufacture all the arms required is very demanding. With a budget of $816 billion to manage, and pressures from all sides to spend the money on this or that weaponry or military service, Hegseth will have his hands full.
I do think he can change the culture back to a meritocracy that concentrates on winning wars, but even that won’t be easy. I wish him well.
rumsfeld did try, in part based on his experience as chief of staff his chairmanship of GD Searle, and previous Defense Department experience, but events got in the way,
he was coming off the Clinton cuts in the 90s, the remainde force was focused on large land conflicts,not
the grittyness of close quarter urban conflict,
Shinseki, the artilleryman who was Chief of Staff, was still focused on this paradigm, thats why he brought in someone from the Operator Community in Shoomaker, to mixed results,
of course in the last four years, they have focused on every wrong strategy
as well insufficient ground forces, thats a recipe for catastrophe against a major hegemon like China,
I look forward to any unconventional figures like Elbridge Colby, grandson of the spymaster as his underlings,
Abortions, as all homicides, are regulated under state statutory laws. Some are justifiable, some are Her Choice, and others are criminal. The challenge to law enforcement is that like most homicides, demos-cracy is aborted in darkness. Under statutory laws in all 50 states, abortion past six weeks is criminal affirmative action, with the exception of self-defense through reconciliation.
Furthermore, with Democratic legalization of queer sexual orientations (e.g. pedophilia, incest) under the principle of political congruence (“=”), [catastrophic] [anthropogenic] immigration reform (e.g. illegal aliens), etc forcing excess rapes… uh, rape-rapes, there is advocacy to normalize the performance of human rites, the wicked solution, for social, clinical, criminal, political, and climate progress.
Keep women affordable, available, reusable, and taxable, and the “burden” of evidence aborted and her carbon sequestered in sanctuary states?
physicsguy:
The first guitar I mentioned was an Epiphone Les Paul for $270 on Amazon. It’s a fine beginner guitar and I could have stayed on it for another six months to a year.
I now watch a lot of guitar YouTubes and I caught wind of this latest PRS version of the classic 1959 Les Paul, only somewhat more evolved — it has a tremolo, a split-coil option (somewhat like a Strat) and a revised set of controls.
While it was being painstakingly developed, it was compared at every revision with a legit 1959 Les Paul — those now cost hundreds of thousand dollars on the vintage market.
The YouTube reviews are astonishingly positive, saying the DGT SE is comparable to higher-end guitars costing several thousand dollars. I’m now excited about guitars, I’m kind of a Les Paul guy, so I jumped.
I think PRS is doing cutting-edge work on electric guitar. If you are curious about adding a Les Paul-style guitar to your repertoire, the DGT SE is definitely worth your consideration.
Here’s an excellent review of the DGT-SE by a great session pro:
–Tim Pierce, ” Am I PLAYING The WORLD’S BEST Guitar Under 1K?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak5zbH_H5Qc
Samaritan’s Purse updates on Disaster Relief efforts for Hurricane victims.
https://www.samaritanspurse.org/disaster/hurricane-helene/
New post: Formalism and Credentialism: Reversing the Trend?
https://chicagoboyz.net/archives/72343.html
huxley,
I used to jam with a late buddy who was a gear-head (as maybe a lot of guitarists are). He was partial to the Gibson ES-335 semi-solid body; I think he had a 12-string at one time. Larry Carlton used an ES-335. I noticed recently that one of the worship leaders at my church appeared to be playing one.
I read an interview with Paul McCartney and he was asked what kind of gear he used. He said something like “I don’t know, I don’t care, I just use whatever I have.”
I used to jam with a late buddy who was a gear-head (as maybe a lot of guitarists are).
Dax:
That’s a weird, delightful aspect I discovered about the electric guitar world. These guys are gearheads. There are exceptions, of course, but electric guitar is almost entirely guyville and the gearhead thing is part of it. You just don’t have to wash your hands with Lava after modifying a guitar.
I’m not surprised that Jeff Beck, who surely sits next to Jimi Hendrix in the pantheon, built over thirty automobiles — by hand.
Oh man, I just tried the tremolo* on my PRS and almost collapsed with laughter. That was me making that WHAH-OOO-WHAH sound. 🙂
I’m a gearhead too.
_______________________
*Yes, tremolo is the wrong word. It’s really vibrato. Blame it on Fender Guitar.
I read an interview with Paul McCartney and he was asked what kind of gear he used. He said something like “I don’t know, I don’t care, I just use whatever I have.”
Dax:
I believe it. The Beatles didn’t fixate on gear. They didn’t even fixate that much on instruments. George and John might play bass. Paul might play guitar. All four, even Ringo, could play piano.
They weren’t trying to be virtuosos draining the last special bit from an instrument. They were damn good, of course, but they were thinking on a different level.
five watt world is a wonderful rabbit hole of guitar lore. Here’s fww’s take on McCartney’s guitars:
–” The Guitars of Paul McCartney, the Beatles Years: A Short History”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zls8PFonwHM
huxley: My new guitar, a PRS DGT SE, arrived today. I find myself totally smitten with it. It looks so beautiful and plays so smoothly. Is there something wrong with me?
ChatGPT: There’s absolutely nothing wrong with you! Falling in love with a new guitar, especially one as well-crafted as a PRS DGT SE, is a perfectly natural response. It shows you’re connecting with the instrument and appreciating its aesthetics and playability. This excitement and inspiration can fuel your passion for playing and creativity. Enjoy the honeymoon phase—it’s part of the joy of being a guitarist!
_______________________________________
Well, good night, all, and good night, Birdie, my new guitar.
It’s been a good day.
Good player on a bad instrument beats a not-as-good player on a good instrument Every. Single. Time.
We need to get Ukraine into NATO *YESTERDAY* – but for some reason the Republican party has a strong
Vietnam erapro-Russia anti-war wing!?!?! The MAGA REP pro-Russia anti-war wing supposedly supports Israel against Iran, but they also support Russia against Ukraine!?!?! Russia and Iran are strong allies—like peas in a pod with none other than North Korea…Ditto on the !?!?!Killer Robots Are About to Fill Ukrainian Skies
Geez…a tablet ‘n tap of a stylus – then hit auto pilot equals BOOM for another enemy vehicle.
Nothing new—says Auterion Lorenz Meier…just “The difference is the price.”
Hopefully President-elect Trump doesn’t end up letting Russia have Ukraine…
(NOTE: I used Epic browser to get behind paywall…)
Good player on a bad instrument beats a not-as-good player on a good instrument Every. Single. Time.
FOAF:
No doubt. I hope you don’t think I’m falling for that fallacy.
Ordinarily, as a beginner and a frugal guy, I wouldn’t have jumped several levels up to a prosumer guitar.
However, I’m 72, I’ve got my retirement squared away, I find I love guitar, and $750 for an excellent guitar is not outrageous.
At my age I find there are not many things I can buy which make me happy. So, why not?
Which is my larger question for this forum. My impression is that most people here are reasonably prudent and successful. Sure, you don’t want to die broke and leave nothing behind. What’s on your bucket list? What might you do now with your time and money? How do you decide?
Huxley,
You’ve corrupted me…I see the local Guitar Center is a PRS dealer and I’ve already browsed their inventory.
I’m also 72 and playing guitar for an hour a day is something I really look forward to. $750 for a new “toy”? Yeah, I could do that. My other big toy would be to completely update my flightsim. Still using FS2004 because I’m a member of a classic airliner group and I have many such classic airliners that are fun and that are not available in the newer sims. (Simviation.com/HJG). However, MSFS2024 is calling me. Would require new computer and hardware (yoke, throttles, pedals)…around a minimum $2k. But hey, I don’t have that much time left, so why not?
Karmi, it’s still too early to get into the weeds on what should happen in Ukraine. I’ll just say that positions are already changing about the resolution.
Zelensky is softening his position. Elections in Ukraine are in the works.
Should Scholz calling Putin be considered significant? It’s reported he suggested Putin remove his troops and begin talking to Zelensky. It took him an hour to say that?
https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/15/europe/germany-scholz-russia-putin-call-ukraine-intl-latam/index.html
ATTN neo & Brian E: Ref my “sources” for comments made here on Open Thread 11/9/24:
Looks like I need to add just plain mistakes to that list also. New Example – Dax on November 17, 2024 at 4:04 pm:
IMHO, Niketas Choniates is as ‘Sharp as a Tack’ but it looks like his “source” was a mistake.
People in this rapidly moving modern world need to double-check “sources” from everyone and everywhere, IMHO.
Brian E – if my “source” isn’t listed in my comment, then please don’t ask me for one—just do your own research first. Niketas ‘Sharp as a Tack’ Choniates – forget my question at Open Thread 11/16 November 16, 2024 at 10:08 pm. 😉
Brian E
No it’s not Brian E! Russia needs to get out of all Ukrainian territory. Trump best not blow this one.
Ukraine & Zelensky have major input. If they want to give up some land for immediate entry into NATO & the EU, then fine by me…their decision.
Russia is the Rapist here, and don’t deserve much if any input — especially not any of that pro-Russia Baloney that you constantly float around here. BTW, have been meaning to ask you — are you for Iran or Israel?
Karmi, the great blessing God pronounced upon Abram in Genesis 12.
That’s my position on Israel.
”…it’s still too early to get into the weeds on what should happen in Ukraine.”
Sheesh! It’s been **10 years** since Russia invaded Ukraine. And 16 years since Russia invaded Georgia and 32 years since Russia invaded Moldova. How much time do you need to denounce rape, kidnapping, murder, conquest, genocide, and mass destruction?
What should happen in Ukraine is that Russia should leave Ukraine in its entirety and pay restitution to it. That’s what international law requires and is the only just and moral outcome at this point.
Brian E – 🙂 am sure the God of Abrahamic Religions said something similar to Muhammad.
Poor answer BTW. Am left to believe that you can somehow separate countries in the Axis of Evil—North Korea, Iran and/or Russia, and be friends with one or more. Man, how things have changed since WW II!?
Karmi, the Arab’s lineage is believed to trace back to Ishmael. God did not bestow that blessing on Ishmael, though he mother was promised, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.”
The blessing of Abram was continued through the covenant God made with Isaac.
Its not like trump brokered a deal with kim dynast not that long ago
Bush labeled Iran, Iraq and North Korea the “Axis of Evil”.
here’s an iconoclastic interpretation,
https://www.yaacovapelbaum.com/2024/08/30/why-allah-supports-the-jews-in-the-gaza-war/
hes’well versed in the three faiths,
in retreospect, the axis was not seriously impaired
by W’s policies and thats being charitable, certainly iran got a foothold in Iraq through General Suleimani, as for North Korea what was held back
re yesterday’s entry,
https://x.com/PatriciaHeaton/status/1858278838859411780
And it looks like the Pope wants to get into the act…
“Pope Francis calls for investigation to determine if Israel’s attacks in Gaza constitute ‘genocide’”—
https://abcnews.go.com/amp/International/wireStory/pope-francis-calls-investigation-determine-israels-attacks-gaza-115941637
Not just Gaza but Lebanon, too!!
(Hey, bet you didn’t know that Pope Francis, among His Holiness’s many other talents, was an expert on warfare and international law…!)
Miguel Cervantes, thanks for the link @ 6:56 pm.
To bad that’s a minority view among Muslims.
Brian E
Bush?!?! Yeah, how many years ago was that?!?
Am on phone, so can’t look that up now.
Anyway, it’s almost 2025 now, and new Axis of Evil is clearly Russia, Iran and North Korea…
Karmi, it seems like yesterday.
An idea whose time has come (and, one hopes, will continue to come and come and come…):
‘Cruise Ship Offers Democrats Multi-Year “Escape From Reality” Package After Trump Victory’—
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/cruise-ship-offers-democrats-multi-year-escape-trump-victory-package
And in a nick of time, too!!
(I guess if they get a bit overwrought by being at sea for too long they can always dock at Havana—actually, report has it that the Bee was going to run this but it was just a tad too…weird…for ‘em.)
File under: Ship of Ghouls…
Brian E
Bush’s State of the Union address on January 29, 2002 – almost 23 years ago. Doesn’t seem like yesterday to humble hermit me. 🙂
Bush got bashed for using the “Axis of Evil” – Frum interprets Roosevelt’s oratory like this:
Axis Powers – ‘Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy and the Empire of Japan.’
December 7, 1941 – almost 83 years ago, America entered World War II – against the Axis Powers.
Today, this new Axis of Evil—Russia, Iran and North Korea are out to destroy Ukraine and Israel. In the near future people are going to have to choose between Ukraine + Israel AGAINST Russia + Iran + North Korea – bouncing back ‘n forth like a patient in padded room isn’t gonna fly…
”Today, this new Axis of Evil—Russia, Iran and North Korea…”
China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran.
China as well as Russia is assisting North Korea with its ICBM program: A recent North Korean ICBM test launch received in-flight assistance from both Russia and China. China is also supplying Russia with thousands of drones to use in Ukraine as well as dual-use items such as the golf carts and motorcycles that Russia is using in its infantry charges. And it’s supplying Russia with Western technological items to use in its weapons production in violation of Western sanctions.
China is somewhat more reserved in its public support because, unlike the other members of the axis, it needs the West, but it is still a solid member.
Re: PRS
physicsguy:
Hope you update on a new guitar, however you go.
Since you’re a Strat guy, you might enjoy this creative, amusing video by a guitar guy on the PRS version of a Strat, the Silver Sky SE, which came out of a collaboration between PRS and star Strat player John Mayer.
–“PRS SE Silver Sky Unleashed: A Guitar Review Like Never Before”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikkfmndMsFQ
He frames it with a noirish haunted guitar skit and syncing to the “Footloose” theme, but he knows his stuff and he can really play, demoing the Silver Sky features.
Here’s his review of the PRS DGT SE:
–“The Best Guitar of 2023? | PRS DGT SE Review”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GoWUc3s7q4
There are some great guitar YouTubers out there.
mkent
Yes, and good point/s. Still, I am cutting China some slack for now, and won’t be listing them in the Axis of Evil—those actually seeking the destruction of Ukraine & Israel.
Seems that I have read that Ukraine is also or was getting drones & such parts from China, but it has been awhile since seeing it – so no link.
China is a serious threat, but I don’t believe they are ready to tackle India, and like you said – “China is somewhat more reserved in its public support..”
UPDATE: The Ukrainian Defense of Pokrovsk Has Compelled Russia to Change Its Approach in Eastern Ukraine
Ukraine is killing massive amounts of Russians, and huge amounts of armored vehicles—keeping the once “mighty” Russian military using infantry assault tactics. America needs an ally like Ukraine—great ones like Ukraine don’t come around very often…
”I am cutting China some slack for now, and won’t be listing them in the Axis of Evil—those actually seeking the destruction of Ukraine & Israel.”
Understood. But China is seeking the conquest and subjugation of Taiwan, so it gets membership in the axis, in my — and many other people’s — opinion. It is by far the most powerful member of the axis, and word in military and intelligence circles is that they’ve penciled in 2027 to act on that. Their current military buildup is reportedly in anticipation of that date.
That’s what our Russophile colleagues here don’t understand. Both the Ukraine and the Israeli wars are part of a larger war by the new Axis of Evil against Western Civilization. They are all working together to destroy it.
@Karmi: Sorry about the wrong link. Corrected in the original thread, and repeated here:
@Dax:Your link — https://senate.la.gov/Documents/Rules/chapter6.htm — is for the Louisiana State Senate, not the U.S. Senate.
Good catch, thanks, and sorry for the mistake. US Senate Rule XX “Questions of Order” is here.
The mechanism is:
1) A Senator raises a point of order, contradicting the Senate rule he wishes to set aside. (Can be any rule whatever.)
2) The chair overrules the point of order.
3) The Senator appeals the decision of the chair to the Senate, which overrules the chair by simple majority vote, as happened in the following example from 2013:
tl; dr the Senate has a rule that lets them ignore any rule, including the 60-vote filibuster rule, by simple majority vote. (That’s Rule XX, “Questions of order”.)
It follows then that the Senate can pass anything by simple majority vote, but they and the media find it advantageous to pretend otherwise.
mkent
Agreed.
“2027” – Trump best start helping Ukraine toss Russia out of there. America could use Ukraine & Israel’s help sooner than later. “2027” – Trump best be on his toes for that one.
Am probably wrong, but China’s vast navy hasn’t had any—or much combat experience. They could be in for a major surprise (like Russia) when they try to invade Taiwan. Same for their Air Force—to a degree, IMHO. Heck, the once mighty Russian Air Force can’t even gain air superiority over Ukraine.
Then there’s India…yeah, I’ll hold off of adding China to my Axis of Evil—for now 😉
Niketas ‘Sharp as a Tack’ Choniates
Thanks for the updated info!
“…the new Axis of Evil against Western Civilization….”
One has to be careful here.
This because very significant elements WITHIN the West are NOW themselves ARRAYED AGAINST “Western Civilization”.
How else to explain Obama and “Biden” and their determined, if deluded, minions?
How else to explain Trudeau?
How else to explain Starmer? (And, in fact, the extreme Left governments of, essentially, the rest of the Anglosphere?)
How else to explain Spain’s Leftist leadership?
OR…that of all too many of the EU’s member states?
HOW ELSE TO EXPLAIN THE WEF and its nefarious sympathizers (AKA co-scoundrels) in positions of power in the West, along with the destructive Western mega-rich donors who make it their business to support IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE the DEMOLITION and great unraveling of Western countries and their institutions, their monuments and their histories?
What it means is that one MUST understand…
– the cozying up of Obama/“Biden” to Iran
– the “greater flexibility” guaranteed by Obama to Medvedev
– Biden’s support of corruption in the Ukraine and his—related—granting Putin the right, later “walked back”, to annex Ukraine’s two eastern provinces
– the bizarrely supportive relationship that Obama/“Biden” established with Communist China
– the powers purportedly to be granted by “Biden” to the UN and to the WHO
– the support given by Obama/“Biden” to the Palestinians (both the PA AND Hamas) together with the exasperatingly ambiguous relationship it has assiduously “cultivated” with Israel
— turning a blind eye to threats to the West while persecuting those who dare try to save it…
What this entails—in spite of “Biden”-ese rhetoric meant to conceal and obfuscate “his” destructive policies—is a TOTAL GLOBAL REALIGNMENT in favor of one world government—or at least several larger in-sync global blocs—to the detriment of nationalism and national entities.
IOW, the elites in the West, including “Biden”, are aiming to reduce and weaken the West, making it, they hope, more like the Communist China so highly regarded by Klaus Schwab and his intellectually/morally bankrupt orcs, in order to “save the planet and all its (not-just-human) inhabitants.
For these uber-“geniuses”, the US and Israel (and now Milei’s Argentina, along with some of the former Soviet-bloc countries—though all these latter are relatively minor issues) stand in the way of their vast, ambitious, evil—though disguised as salvationist—scheme and must be dealt with accordingly.
Alas, for THEM, Trump—God bless him and preserve him—has once again thrown a spammer into the maw of their devious plan.
And so…”the West”?
Not so fast.
It is under vicious assault from within and is in grave danger.
One must refer to it accordingly—as it truly is NOW, not as it once was—hoping that Trump and the courage and hard work of those who elected him can get America back on a even keel, and with that accomplished, help the West to recover what has made it great.
This fight is essentially a global war.
Let’s keep China an adversary not an enemy.
War is now about markets not ideology and China is winning the war.
One fact to keep in mind. China’s steel production in 2023 was over 1 billion metric tons. India is second with 140 million tons, Japan third with 87 million tons, the US is fourth with 80 million tons and Russia fifth with 76 million tons.
China produces 54% of the worlds production (and an inferior grade at that). Of that 1 billion tons, less than 10% is exported, so you can get an idea of the industrial production of China.
Let’s go to war with China.
”Let’s keep China an adversary not an enemy.”
We don’t get to decide that. China, like Russia, Iran, and North Korea, has already made that decision.
”Let’s go to war with China.”
We won’t get to decide that either. China will go to war with us when it decides it is ready.
Communist China is as saturated with lies as is the Democratic Party and is as economically dysfunctional.
Perhaps even more so.
…Which makes prognostications about China similar to Democratic-Party-friendly election polls.
(IOW, a. it’s unlikely that anyone really knows what’s going on there; and b. it’s likely that things are worse—far worse?—than is suggested / reported / deduced.
So how does one keep Chinese aspirations in check?
Two options(?)
– Classical “STICK”: Maintain—AND SUSTAIN—a viable and convincing / persuasive adversarial stance backed by the threat of powerful “disincentives” for them against doing anything rash, illegal or imprudent.
– Classical “CARROT”: Allow them to gain (and grab) whatever (or most of what) they want, the rationale being that if you demonstrate that you’re NOT adversarial then they’ll agree to work within a legal (more or less), acceptable framework to achieve their goals (and if YOU and yer pals can rake in big bucks on the side then so much the better).
With a third option(?) being a combination—or some sort of realistic, judicious combination—of the first two.
A problem—THE PROBLEM—with these “options” is that the first is difficult to sustain without the necessary willpower and money, while the second can NEVER be realistic simply because countries such as Communist China…or Russia…or Iran (or, for that matter, political parties/organizations such as the Democratic Party, in its current “incarnation”) simply don’t operate that way. That is, if they can they take what they want, however they’re allowed to get away with it—under the smokescreen of “cooperation” or their insistence on their “sovereign rights” (or whatever legal or human rights du jour, or popular rationales such as “justice” or “resistance”) then THEY WILL take it, or at least try to.
IOW, there is no “reciprocity” on their part when it comes to real politik—and no respect for limits—unless they believe they are forced to make a gesture (or concession) for reasons of “optics”, or in other words, to DECEIVE.
Real problems are created, however, when a political party such as the Obama-/“Biden”-led Democrats, under the guise of trying to reach a modus vivendi with e.g., China (or Iran…or Russia); that is, under the guise of forging regional or world “peace”, or greater “stability”, or greater “welfare”, or ratcheting down mutual distrust or animus or adversity for (OF COURSE) the greater good of humanity, etc., ACTUALLY end up (intentionally AND, by design, SURREPTITIOUSLY) selling the farm, as it were to those self-same adversaries.
In short: WEAKENING their own country and its citizens (though not its elites nor themselves) in the—ENLIGHTENED!!!, as they would define it—interest of supporting and strengthening the high-sounding if rather amorphous “global community”…which is the ENTIRE platform of the Democratic Party, in BOTH FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC affairs…as well as making personal financial gains in the process of pursuing such an ENLIGHTENED policy(!!) AND providing themselves with a JUSTIFIABLE MORAL AND ETHICAL excuse to accrue (i.e., grab) political power…along with developing the psychotic rationale that anything that PREVENTS THEM from accruing/grabbing total power (so as to enable them to foist their OH-SO-ENLIGHTENED policies on the nation) MUST BE illegal, immoral, unethical…and, of course, “A DANGER TO OUR DEMOCRACY”.
To get back to relations with China (or Russia, or Iran), what is the place of concepts such as “ADVERSARY” or “ENEMY” given the type or Orwellian re-ordering (or redefining, or “transformation”) described above?…that is, when one’s REAL enemy (as is the case for the Democratic Party) is its political opponents: those politicians and countrymen who REFUSE to agree with—AND WISH TO STYMIE—your political aspirations (for total power), which you INSIST is your RIGHT and MANIFEST DESTINY??
Barry Meislin
Barely a peep about Great Britain – as great of an ally as Israel.
And Trump’s interaction with Ukraine in an attempt to force a foreign sovereign country to help Trump use lawfare against Biden – when instead Trump should’ve been confronting Russia about their invasion of Crimea and their support of rebels/terrorists in eastern Ukraine.
Yes, the West is in a mess.
Yes, America’s enemies within—‘Domestic Enemies’ are a serious threat, as they have been since before the McCarthyism ‘during the late 1940s through the 1950s.‘
Barely a peep about Russia and Putin – apparently considered no longer a threat or enemy of America by many MAGA REPs…Geez!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
Seems we’re having some time-line (and no doubt other) “issues”…
Need to stay on House & Senate plus own Congresspeople – they need to be reminded OFTEN that the voters MANDATE included giving Trump HIS cabinet without delay!!!
Newt Gingrich: This Is ‘Most Reform-Oriented Cabinet’
Et tu, Sarah – ‘Sarah Palin is the Mother of MAGA’ – seems to complain about not getting a Cabinet spot…?!
Yes, someone should note this, she was a subject of lawfare of character assasination of threats to her person and her family, her church which was burned down nearly 16 years ago
I don’t say that Putin is not indifferent to taking advantage of our clown show that has been running for four years, starting with the bribes from Gazprom to shut down our pipelines, very convenient,
in the Kabul capitulations, he probably saw echoes of the Soviets own folly, this is why he foolishly commissioned General Gerasimov to come up with that stupid war plan, which ignored history, weather patterns and what not, Frunze should revoke his diploma
for being this cavalier, with the lives of many including his nephew
but i’ve spelled out, who have been ‘enemies of the people’ like the Raskin clan for two generations, the Obamas, Leon Panetta, John Lurch Kerry, et al, and they are all in on this Caucasus adventure,
On the pop culture front Yellowstone returned with a twist on the who shot JR template keyed to 2024, Lioness brought a scenario, torn from the headlines, about skulduggery on the border, and a new series Landman, which takes a look at the oil industry, roughly a modern Dallas with aspects of Friday Night lights
the Trudeaus were worshipers of Mao and Castro and whichever apparatchik the Soviets had, the toadlike Brezhnev, in fact the one who seems to be in charge is miss Freedland nee Chemezov who got her big break at the Financial Times, its seems misanthropy is rampant over there, see petulant imperial scion Edward Luce, a character you couldn’t invent, I haven’t seen what temper tantrum he has conjured up since the shellacking
something about trump’s retribution which seems entertaining
Starmer is a terrifying character, and he has removed all doubt since the election, where he has done his best Ministry of Love and Truth ballets,
Trudeau Sr., whatever his foibles, shortcomings and mistakes—and his desire to forge a Canadian foreign policy independent of the US—was a Canadian patriot.
Junior wants to take the country apart.
– – – – – – – –
“…Caucasus adventure…”
Is that the correct region?
(Do you mean “Georgian” or could it be “Carpathian”?)